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Alaska Airlines: Goodbye 'Virgin America,' hello comfier flights
Virgin America has been the airline of choice for many travelers due to its on-board amenities, including comfy seating, mood lighting, Netflix and Spotify. However, the name won't be around much longer. Alaska Airlines, which bought the airline last year, announced this week that it plans "to retire" the Virgin America name and logo "likely sometime in 2019." As you can imagine, many were upset the beloved brand was being shuttered, including Virgin Group founder Sir Richard Branson.
Spotify streaming comes to Virgin America planes
Virgin America has teamed up with Spotify and the New York Times to stream music and deliver news articles aboard its planes. If it's new in-flight ViaSat WiFi connection can stream Netflix videos 35,000 feet in the air, then music files and news articles should be a cinch, right? We hope so, because Spotify will make its whole catalogue accessible onboard Virgin America flights -- the company claims it's the first airline to offer the service -- along with city-inspired mood playlists. For instance, if you're flying to NYC, you can choose to play VA's "Empire State of Mind" or "A Night On Broadway Mix" playlist on your phone/tablet/laptop, while you can play "Welcome to the Windy City" if you're going to Chicago. It's a great chance to sign up for a free 30-day Spotify Premium trial, if you haven't yet.
Netflix streams on airplanes too, starting with Virgin America
One problem with Netflix has always been that it doesn't work when you're on a plane. Starting this month however, the service's entire catalog will be available for Virgin America flights on new Airbus A320 airplanes. Virgin claimed its new ViaSat-powered WiFi is strong enough to stream video, and bringing the bandwidth-hungry Netflix aboard is certainly one way to prove it. By contrast, Amazon Prime just started letting customers store movies and TV shows so they can watch them offline anywhere. So far, Netflix has resisted an offline option, and Global Head of Business Development Bill Holmes says it's all about delivering service that "takes advantage of the expansion of WiFi." The upgraded system is rolling out to about one aircraft a month through June 2016, and will be available for free until March 2nd. Even if you don't have a Netflix account, you can sign up for a free trial, or just watch episodes from a few favorites like House of Cards or Orange is the New Black on the new Android-based entertainment systems.
Virgin's new in-flight WiFi is strong enough to stream video
Virgin America has announced that it's teaming up with satellite internet company ViaSat to provide the fastest in-flight WiFi of any commercial carrier. The new system uses a hybrid Ku-/Ka-band receiver to deliver an internet pipeline eight to 10 times faster than anything else on the market. The Ka-band alone offers a whopping 140 gigabits-per-second throughput. It's being installed on the company's new fleet of A320 airliners and will be put into service on Hawaii-bound routes starting next year. That alone is a big accomplishment as the rest of the airline's fleet have to rely on ground-based WiFi connections, which don't work over the ocean's expanse. Virgin touts that this in-flight connection will be equivalent to an average home broadband link and users are expected to use it as such, streaming videos, watching the carrier's 18 channels of DishNetwork and surfing the internet with abandon -- just at 35,000 feet.
Virgin America's in-flight entertainment will run on Android
To call most in-flight entertainment systems old and crusty would be generous when even the more advanced systems typically pale in comparison to your laptop or tablet. Virgin America might just narrow that gap, though. It's rolling out a beta version of its Red seatback platform that runs Android on a multi-touch screen, much like many mobile devices. The modern input gives you more sophisticated flight maps and games than you're used to seeing in mid-air -- you can play Pac-Man while you're waiting for your meal, if you like. The devices also have three times as much storage as before, which will let you watch 720p videos including Netflix staples like House of Cards and Orange is the New Black.
Virgin America passes out Nexus 7s to crew members
Nexus 7 tablets will soon be a common sight on Virgin America planes, but unlike other airlines that lend passengers tablets for entertainment, you can only use them if you're part the crew. On a VA plane, you can easily order grub by pressing a special "food button" on an in-flight entertainment system's touchscreen panel or on a seat's armrest remote control. When you do press the button, the order's relayed to (you guessed it) a tablet connected to the system. Well, the company felt that it was time to replace its old tablets, so its employees took the Nexus 7 for an obviously successful 30-day test run. Branson and his cohorts (who've decided to call the modified 7-inch device the CrewPad) have already begun handing out new tablets to flight crew members. But, with a 9-inch entertainment system in front of them and several programming options to keep them occupied, it's not like passengers have any reason to feel envious.
A traveler's guide to in-flight WiFi
You're on a nice, long domestic flight. In coach. There's a screaming baby two rows up; the pages of the in-flight magazine are stuck together with someone else's chewing gum; and the 9-inch overhead CRT is showing a 2-year-old episode of New Girl that you've already seen a half-dozen times -- without sound, because you always end up in the seat with a broken headphone jack. Oh, and you have five hours left to go to LAX. If you play your cards right (and pack some noise-canceling headphones), your next cross-country haul could be a whole lot more pleasant, thanks to in-flight WiFi. Nearly all of the major US airlines now offer WiFi in the sky. Thousands of passengers flying above North America are online right now, watching adorable kittens meow on YouTube, reading up on their destinations or researching a new device right here on Engadget. But while some carriers offer service on many of their planes, few have it available fleet-wide, making it difficult to plan your travel around connectivity. So, which airlines offer the best service and how can you sort what you'll have on board? Join us here as we explore the turbulent world of WiFi at 30,000 feet.
Hitch a ride to Engadget Expand aboard Gogo's private jet
The team at Gogo is flying high lately both in the sky and on the ground thanks to its new hybrid GTO technology, which brings in-air download speeds up to 60 Mbps. To test the future of in-flight WiFi, Gogo uses the "Gogo One," a flying laboratory that comes outfitted with some pretty intense equipment.
Gogo's hybrid GTO technology bringing 60Mbps download capability to airlines in 2014
In a way, in-flight WiFi still seems like the future. It's the internet, in the air, while traveling at 30,000+ feet. Clearly, just having access isn't good enough, as a smattering of opponents have stepped into a segment long dominated by Gogo with snazzier, satellite-based alternatives. Over the past few years, ViaSat has stepped up in an effort to offer flyers something that Gogo's existing services won't: streaming video. While Gogo's air-to-ground network is great for latency, it struggles with bandwidth, as anyone on a crowded flight from JFK to SFO will likely attest. Today, Gogo has taken the wraps off of GTO (Ground to Orbit), described as a hybrid technology that will be "capable of delivering more than 60Mbps to the aircraft." For those keeping score, that's a 20-fold increase from where Gogo started just a few years ago. We spoke to a company representative leading up to the reveal, who confirmed that GTO is a proprietary offering, and will lean on satellites for the downlink while using existing ground-based transceivers for the uplink. For users, that means that latency will remain low, uploads will remain sluggish, and downloads will improve dramatically. Gogo points out that precious little will need to change for airlines to take advantage; there's a new antenna, which is actually half as large as the existing one, but most everything else will remain the same. Virgin America will be the launch partner of the new service, which is expected to be available in the second half of 2014; we asked if any other airlines were onboard beyond that, but were left to make assumptions for ourselves.
The Engadget Interview: Sir Richard Branson on Virgin Galactic and space tourism for the everyman
It's been a particularly good week for Sir Richard Branson. SpaceShipTwo, Virgin Galactic's sub-orbital peoplecarrier broke the sound barrier for the first time, and Virgin America began service into San Jose, California. Sir Richard was in town to welcome VA's first San Jose arrival, and we jumped at the chance to chat with him, even if only for a few minutes. Our conversation revolved around Virgin Galactic's latest milestone on its journey towards ferrying the masses to the stars. Naturally, we wanted to know his plan to make space travel affordable for us non-billionaires, as the current cost of a Virgin Galactic ticket is a cool $200K quarter million dollars. His solution? A combination of more spacecraft, more spaceports and the most prolific satellite delivery service in history.
YouTube takes to the skies with Virgin America content deal
Admittedly, we're more likely to hit up YouTube for its hilarious and bizarre amateur content than to pop in on one of those well-funded Original Channels, but that won't necessarily be the case going forward. Several of the site's original programming venues will soon be available through Virgin America's in-flight entertainment system -- "H+ The Digital Series," "Blue," "Written by a Kid," "Crash Course" and "The Key of Awesome" are expected to hit aircraft beginning December 15th, according to Variety. Sure, you could navigate to YouTube on your own through the carrier's in-flight WiFi, but you'll soon be able to enjoy at least a few titles in (presumably) higher quality through the 9-inch panel mounted to the seat in front of you, while freeing up bandwidth for those hardworking business travelers (and a few occasional Engadget editors) in the process. These latest YouTube selections join a variety of other content unique to Virgin, and considering that legacy carriers stock their IFE with "classic" flicks and a dismal selection of dated TV shows (assuming they offer the service at all), the nation's "fun" alternative airline is starting to look even more appealing.
Mobile data gets even more piecemeal with 24-hour offerings from Virgin Mobile
Sure, you can already buy Virgin Mobile's Broadband2Go on a monthly basis, but what about when you want that data on a daily basis? For instance, what if you're Johnny Lee Miller in the hit '90s film Hackers? Exactly. Good thing, then, that Virgin Mobile is now offering a 24-hour daily plan for its Broadband2Go service, charging just $5 per day. Unfortunately, if you're only able to find 3G service, that broadband is limited to just 200MB of data -- those who can find 4G get unlimited data access (and much faster access to boot). Currently, Virgin's Broadband2Go is only offered via a proprietary ($70) USB stick or a proprietary ($120) mifi device, so don't think you're getting off too cheaply. It is, however, available right now.
IRL: Logitech Y-R0026 Bluetooth keyboard, Apple MacBook and a Virgin America flight with the Series 5 Chromebook
Welcome to IRL, an ongoing feature where we talk about the gadgets, apps and toys we're using in real life and take a second look at products that already got the formal review treatment. In this, the last IRL until after we get back from CES, we've got a tale from Brian, who spent his Virgin America flight home to the west coast playing with his first Chromebook. Meanwhile, Andy defends the idea of spending $130 on a Bluetooth keyboard, and Mr. Christopher Trout explains why he's loathe to recycle his three year-old MacBook, even if it has devolved into a glorified media hub. Before we turn around and give you wall-to-wall coverage of all the new stuff, meet us past the break to spend a few minutes with some oldies-but-goodies.
Gogo to bring enhanced WiFi to Virgin America, expands video streaming on American Airlines
Virgin America's in-flight perks are getting even perkier. This week, the domestic carrier announced that it's bringing Gogo's ATG-4 service aboard its fleet of aircraft, in a move that promises to enhance in-flight WiFi capacity by a factor of four. The upgrade is slated to roll out during the first half of 2012, when the company will begin outfitting its planes with Gogo's directional antenna, dual-modem and EV-DO Rev. B technologies. But VA isn't the only airline getting in on the Gogo game, as the in-flight entertainment company announced this week that it's expanding its new video streaming service to American Airlines, as well. American, as you may recall, became the first airline to test the Gogo Vision service back in August, aboard its fleet of 15 Boeing 767-200 planes. Now, the streaming product is slated to expand to a full 400 of AA's aircraft, bringing about 200 movies and TV shows to entertainment-starved passengers. Movies will be available for 24 hour rentals, with TV purchases good for a full 72 hours. Unexpired rentals, meanwhile, will still be available once you land and can be accessed with the same browser and device you used aboard the flight. No word on final pricing, though Gogo is extending its introductory offer ($1 per TV show and $4 per movie) through October 15th. Taxi past the break for more details, in a pair of press releases.
Virgin America and Lufthansa Systems unveil new in-flight entertainment system coming in 2012
Alright, so in-flight entertainment systems aren't exactly the sort of thing that people camp out for days to get first crack at. But, for those who spend a lot of time defying the laws of gravity, an upgraded seat-back system could be the difference between a pleasant trip and urinating on the cabin floor in disgust. In late 2012 Virgin America will start rolling out a new system, developed with help from Lufthansa, called BoardConnect. We don't have all the details about the next generation of Red at the moment, but we can tell you it will include an HD monitor in every headrest, improved WiFi connectivity, and the ability to interact with your personal electronics (though, how and to what end is still somewhat unclear). Each seat will have a QWERTY-equipped remote for navigation and playing games, as well as chatting with other passengers via in-flight IM. In addition to live TV, music, games, flight tracking and on-demand movies, passengers can also order in-flight meals and peruse what we presume will be an electronic version of SkyMall -- for the shopaholics on board. Check out the PR after the break for a few more details.
Chromebook boards Virgin America, checks-in at Ace Hotel for summer vacation
How do you solve a consumer education problem like the Chromebook? You put it into the idle hands of urbanite travelers -- that's how. The fast-booting neither laptop, nor netbook entity with negligible storage and not-yet-defined purpose will find a temporary summer home at select Virgin America gates and New York's Ace Hotel starting Friday. Jet-setters flying between San Francisco and either Chicago O'Hare, Dallas / Fort Worth, or Boston Logan can get an on-the-fly, marketing-fortified crash course in Chrome OS computing by visiting special 'Chrome zones' located near departure gates. Virgin's also thrown in some free in-flight WiFi to ensure you test drive Google's Cloud-dependent lap-dweller . And if you're one of the millions of tourists planning on seeing the Big Apple in all its humid splendor, the Ace Hotel's got an on-the-house stash that lobby lizards can use, but only guests can take out. But the promotional push doesn't just stop there: all partners involved have bundled specialized travel-planning apps into the experience -- sure to be ripe with cooler-than-thou recommendations. It's a noble attempt by our search giant overlord to make a name for its portable computing entrant, and a helpful distraction from that armrest hog next to you.
Passengers net free WiFi while flying Delta, AirTran or Virgin America this holiday season
It's certainly not the first free in-flight WiFi promotion that we've seen, but this one's hitting at just the right time. For goodhearted, family-minded individuals who plan on jumping ship and heading to greener pastures for the holidays, you'll be elated to know that Delta, AirTran and Virgin America are all offering gratis in-flight Wi-Fi for the holidays. And shockingly enough, there's no catch. Despite being sponsored by Google's Chrome browser, you won't actually need it to access the respective services. Oh, and for those curious, the deal is active from November 20th, 2010 to January 2nd, 2011. You know, right before every nerd in the universe flies into LAS for CES. Nice cutoff date, guys.
Virgin America and Google gift flyers with free WiFi for the holidays
While those legacy airlines are scheming to charge you more to fly over the holidays, Virgin America is making it even easier to choose its services over the rest. Announced today, the airline (which should expand to more cities on the double, just so we're clear) has teamed up with Google in order to bring gratis WiFi to all flyers throughout the holiday season. If you'll recall, VA recently made known that every single one of its aircraft was equipped with in-flight internet courtesy of Aircell, and between November 10th, 2009 and January 15th, 2010, your surfing will be on the house should your find yourself in a seat. Not a bad way to spread a little holiday cheer, huh?[Via Engadget Spanish]
Aircell offers short haul, 24-hour Gogo in-flight internet passes
It's a technology lover's dream come true: in-flight internet. Knowing that all too well, Aircell has decided to expand its pricing options for its Gogo services, which are currently available on select flights from Virgin America, AirTran, Delta and America Airlines. In order to better serve more customers on flights of varying lengths, the company has today announced two new options: a Flight Pass for short haul flights and a 24-Hour Pass for those doing a same-day return or connecting on multiple short haul flights. The former will run WiFi addicts $5.95 for flights lasting approximately 1.5 hours or less, while the latter will provide 24-hour access on a single airline for $12.95 (though it's only available initially on AirTran and Delta). If you're doing an unfathomable amount of cruising the friendly skies, there's even a 30-day unlimited pass for a single airline that'll set you back $49.95. Now, if only Gogo would get going on more planes, we'd happily take advantage.[Via Gadling]
Virgin America lights up entire fleet with in-flight WiFi
Hold up AirTran -- not so fast with those wild claims of in-flight WiFi superiority. If you'll recall, the aforesaid airline proclaimed that it would soon be the first to have its entire fleet doused with Gogo, but it looks like Virgin America has swept in to claim that title. We should point out just how unfair the challenge is, though: VA has 28 planes as of today, whereas AirTran has 136. At any rate, we're still thrilled to see airlines duking it out in order to get more WiFi to more fliers, and we fully anticipate that every new aircraft added to Virgin America's fleet will be lit from day one. Now, if only they'd allow Skype functionality for more than just an Oprah demonstration, we'd really be playing with fire.[Via Gadling]
